Cloth clamp



May 16, 1933. H. w. BUTTERWORTH, JR 1,909,306

CLOTH CLAMP Filed June 18, 1932 in very/0): WBAIf/enupMA/n Patented May16, I933 nmiw; num'rnawoarn, .13., or PHILADELPHIA, rmmsrnvamamssmnoamoV nrw nv'r'rnnwom'n a wsousycom'ramr, A conrona'rron on IBENNSYLYAN'I-A{mm can? Application mm 18, 1932. ser al No. 617,937.,

. The object of my invention is to provide a cloth-clamp,'for textilemachinery such as" tenters, etc.,in'which the fixed aw has its grippingsurface covered by a pressed and without change of its shape under theclamping stress impressed upon the. plate when being friotionallypositioned upon the *19 chain link orbody portion. a

Heretofore, the cast metalbody portion of'the'cloth clamp hasbeen'machined in such a manner as to present a flat upwardly directedsurface which supports the pressed sheet metal plate'which' constitutesthe gripping surface, said plate being'riveted in position or otherwise"shaped to friction'ally grip the forward edge of the'body whereby it isheld against becoming shifted or loose upon the body. It has beenfound,however, very diflicult to so shape the sheetmetal plate that'itwill adapt itself accurately. to the maohinedbody portion of the clampso P that the said sheet metal portion maybe forced into positionto'properly co-act with the'movable gripping jaw and, at the' same time,to insure suflicient friction' to [prevent the plates from becomingshifted or loosened, the result of which would cause imperfect grippingand failure to retain its grip' uponthe-fabric; y, I

- By my present improvements, I provide the plate with a grooved orrecessed-portion which permits a close fit to the flanged edge of thebody part whereby the plate will position itself accurately upon thebody without being distorted in any manner: as would impair theclose'fitting, and with 'a minimum amount of stress between the twoparts. In addition to'this accurate fitting of the plate upon the bodyas to retain a per fect operative relation I provide preferably at themiddle portion of'the plate a weakened portion which may be readilybentinward and be received withini aslotte d or: tion of the 'bo dy,whereby'the plate is eld againstlongitudinal shifting upon the body andwithout being subjected to any bending or distortionwhich might causethe plate to be'loosenedupon the body'of the clamp.

sheet metal plate which may be definitely fitted in position withouttheuse of rivets In adapting improvements to a clo'th clamp for textilema'chiiieryl'nl first shape the body portionfof the cloth" clamp to pro-Vide a perfectly flat upper? surface and a a suitablyshapedlongitudinal: edge which provides an under rib or bead portion,and with said bodyI combine a fiat platejwhich fits accurately to thesurfacegof the machined I clampfs'aid: plate also' provided at itsforward edge with a groove or socket I shaped accurately to closelyreceive and understoodthat the plate engages' 1one on of the flangeofthe body and is forcedlongitudinally thereoftto its final positionffIfurtherprovide the plate j with two closely longitudinal movement on thebody, I.

' With these and other objects in view, thc

nature' of which willbem'ore fullyunderstood from thefollowingfspecification, the invention consists inthje novel featuresofconstruction hereinafter more ifully fde scribed and defined in the,claims;

stood" by' reference 'to the d'rt'wving, in

My improvements Willfbe'btter which: Fig.1 is a side elevation of. acloth clamp'for textile machinery embodying my invention; Figg2jjis a"front view of the same; Fig. 3'is a jVerticaIseetiOn takenon line 33 ofF ig.1 2; Fig.3a is a Sectional view taken on line 3af 3a. ofFig.3;tFig. 4 v

is an inverted perspectiveview of a portion of the plate .;removed fr omthe cloth clamp; Fig. 5 is'a perspective viewv of the flanged edge ofthe table portion, lookingupward and adapted toreceive, the, plate,shown in F 4; Fig fi'i's a transverse section Vcorrespondin to Eig. 3,butfof a, modification 1 thereof; structure shown iniFigf5; andFigL8 isan ig. 7 3 is :a modification of the i inverted perspective. view, ofthe -modified form'of plateshown in Fig. 6, a y Y a 3 is the body of thecloth clamp and may beprovided withthe usual extensions and shapestoprovide'a link structure 2 as an integral part of the body. This bodypart has an overhanging arm to which the pivoted jaw 6 is hinged at 7and is provided with an operating arm 8 by which it may be positivelytilted in-the act of releasing the goods or during a time when it isbeing pulated ipp t e fa lef h gripping end of the pivoted jaw 6 ispreferably providedwith a steel gripping'por tion 9.'-:*The: body part 8may be extended forward in atable portiondandits extreme".

forward edge 12 may be shaped as at 12m to receive a grooved clampingportion-14on= its underside.

is the plate which fits fl'tttt'pe'n the tflhle pOr Qnand has itsforward part bent v oppressed into a jgroovedike channel as at '11 and lIWheu he'platelOis fitted to the flange; portions 1 and 12d. I and m ved1ongitudinallyj,;it rips the fiange portions 12andl2uq fthQ he y Withoutin an way distorting} the plate in its close reIati Q theffable partland 12-. To'inSureits not being, capable. of further longitudinalshifting, the pl te i 'v ig 4 and 8 p l V with two. transve se aw cutsto -f0r1n betwe n them' a T'tongue, p0rt 0n.14a, T istongue'porticnffits into a r c s far in inward to fit in the said recessso as 'lOICOll:

theflangepOrtiOn lab tween th points 15, in Figs 2, 3 nd Be e is bent sttute alloekl to preven l ngi u inal shift ing f the p ate upon the b dyp rt 4:42.-

As the part 10 is quite'extensive,- it isde sirable that its rear end1001 shall be held a ainst' riding upward and j'this is accomp ish'edbycausing said edge -1Qafto be ar ranged to fit under the overhangingedges 13 and it assumes. this osit'ion at the time ha esp fte l0 is slidingitudinal y upon the flan ededgelaebfthe part 12. v

1 While I ave Preferred, that the mt -ta,

edge of the table portion 4 shallbe formed b the angular surfac ssho'wnin Figs ,1, 3

and 5 with a corresponding angularly; bent r e P ate e in Figs; 1, andf, and fitted thereto, the e iarts may be slightly wherein insteadof theflat angular portion 12a. ofthe double edge a downwardl extend I g bodyportion 12am sh wn in Figs-6 and 7 is employed and adapted to cooperatewith the'plate structure shown in Figs; 6 and 8, In this latterconstruction, the plate 10 shown in 8*is1 substantially the same as ;the

plate structure-Shawn, in Figs. 1, 3 and 4,

and isprovided with' atongue'portion 14a adapted to fit down into agroove formed between the points 15, 15, .toretain the plate from beingshifted longitudinally.

As 'it is most important in tentering or other machines 'in'which" thegri "pingj'aws are required 1 to grip delicate I fabrics with out injurythereto it is" necessary thatp'rovision shall be made, for a perfectworking alinement between the gripping edge of the pivoted jaw and theupper surface of the plate 10 of the fixed jaw. This is accomplished bygiving to the lower edge 9 of the pivoted jaw a straight alinementparallel to its axis 7 of the pivoted grippingjaw and se adapt t -linthe emenlm With the gripping edge of the part 9, so that every portion0t the parts 10d and 9 insure perfect and uniform gripping cooperation;:L Th'is enables-i a. firm hold on. the fabric with a minimum amount ofcompression due to the nipping action of the parts.

A trigger mechanism is shown for automatically'puttin'g the pivotedgripping jaw gripping at en t he .fi edja y providinga lOOSe pawl 16:hingedatflf t0; the rear portion of-thebody part and nor; nally heldinraised position by the cloth; The pawl 16 is p qvided with a slot 18 inwhich a transversepin 20 is reeeivechsaid P n e ng u e to t rear nd Qfpr e gg r n '19, extending from th pivoted lave t,

It wi l e understood that if there was a e ht etween h p n e ee 9andvth'e undei' part of the pawl 16 andthe, atter lve ting up ntheitextileufabric (not shown), the gripping edge 9 of the pivoted jawwould hesli'gl tlyabove the fixed-grip ping surface 1O. 7 It willalsobeunderstood that as the cloth would be novedt toj the righuthe :pawlwill ultimately released w enfltheselvage of the fabric. is moved sopreferred embodiment thereof which has been; found in practicev te givesatisfactory and reliable results; itistto be'understood that" l'dojnotrestrict myself to: the details stated as thesame are susceptibleof modrfication in various particulars, withoutidepani n f om the spiritorscopelef the Iclaim: elethclgampe for textile; machinery, comprising aiuk shaped bodvzhaviug a ab pe ti'ont int rl cking flange there eeo'mbi'ned witha pressed 'ln etal pl ate have 7 11g flflat clampingsurface and; resting. upon t bl B a so e i ut ithe ea Jaw f the'elampgaid plateEha ing-egm vet shaped flange pertion'ef 'a tz andiorn;

to longitudinally slide upon the interlock-- ing flange of the tableportion to closely and accurately fit over the flange, said plate alsohaving a narrow tongue pressed inward into i a recess formed across theunder side of the ortion to lock the plate against flange longitu inalmovement thereon, and a loosely hinged clamping aw having a longitudinalclamping edge g between it and the plate surface. I

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein further, the rear edge of thepressed metal' plate is fitted in an under-cut part of the body portion.

3. The invention according to claim -1,,

wherein further, the interlocking flange is provlded on its undersidewith aninclmed face and groove therein, and whereinalso thegroove-shaped flange portion is dove-tail shaped in cross section tocorrespond to and receive the interlocking flange of the table portion.

4. Aocloth clamp for textile machinery, comprising in combination, abody portion having a pressed metal flanged plate formed with a clampingsurface and a longitudinal groove, said grooved flange slidably engagingthe body portion to accurately fit there upon and said plate locked uponthe body portion by means of a narrow'tongue extension of the flangepressed inward to tight ly fit into a recess in the under-surface of thebod portion to hold the plate against longitu inal movement thereon, anda loose ly hinged clamping jaw having alongitudinal clamping edge forclamping the fabric between it and the plate surface.

5. The invention according to claim 4, wherein further, the flatclamping surface of the pressed metal body is re-surfaced parallel tothe axis of the loosely hinged clamping jaw and theclamping edge thereofwhereby the gripping action upon the cloth is uniform throughout thelength of the clamping jaw. V

In testimony of which invention, I hereunto set my hand.

HARRY W. BUTTERWORTH, JR.

or clamping the fabric

